Creating the "Dark Star" Jam and Q/A

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[@magicdaveable]

I remember learning Dark Star by wearing out 2 or 3 copies of Live Dead back in 68 or 69. My next door neighbors wanted to have me locked up. 😎

[@sinane.y]

I did the same but around 2009 :) Up until then I was a tab only guitarist, so learning a 23 minute track by ear was a milestone lol

[@NotRightMusic]

Advice for practicing your scales: first the normal stuff - practice them up and down. Then practice different patterns in your scales. And finally, and this one is the most important and most fun - improvise your scales, with and without a backing track. I'd say that no backing track can help you experiment more and try to come up with more original sounding ideas. Then try to apply them to backing tracks. Most important - get a band and play with people, don't worry about your level or confidence or anything like that. Improvise your scales!

[@eggman615]

Great vid love the content. Always watching your videos love the dead. I don't think you should ever apologize or feel bad about putting " to much dead " in your leasons. There 10,000 you tube channels teaching guitar and guitar theory very very few dive into bands like the dead and even fewer if any go in and explain the theory and scales of the jams and why it works . Ne ways keep up the great content . Thank you . Ooo almost forgot if u love dark star check out the beautiful jam it's a dark star /warf rat /dark star from 2/18 / 71 it's on KZbin and it's honestly incredible I know ull dig it!

[@PatCrowe]

Not sure about the A7 you are using (makes it sound bluesy instead of spacey). I've been playing A (F shape at the 5th fret with the high E open) to G (F shape at the 3rd fret with the high E sometimes muted, sometimes not) and then maybe to Em7 at the 7th fret. I've been playing this for 40 years. When playing the A, sometimes put your pinky on the 7th fret first string to play the B note. There's a little run that Bob does that works well with this. Now, I've got to tell you, your explanation of modes in another video has given me a new life style as far as my playing goes. Thanks and best wishes.

[@charliepickard6072]

Stitch- I think your teaching is great! I love the Dead and especially Jerry! Love Dark Star and was wondering if you could talk about the Beautiful Jam(2-71). Mostly why it was only played once!!! Explain how it fits in with Dark star and Wharf Rat.

[@matthewmabe7952]

6:55 correction.. never apologize for the grateful dead

[@hippypaintball6966]

Love it! thanks! I have one request, A morning dew lesson? Thanks!

[@dcrich19]

Ian you are awesome. I will definitely be looking for that lesson on rhythm. I need all the right hand help I can get.

[@CCChinaRider]

As always Ian, great lesson. Since you are looking for suggestions, how about a lesson or in the mind of Freddie King. I know Jerry was influenced by all three kings. I find Freddie to be my favorite of the three.

[@magicdaveable]

I remember back in 1970 while figuring out Dark Star I mostly used E Dorian. Hear! Hear! Stich! When soloing the flow may be a mixture of modes based on the tonality of the composition. I have been asked about my solos as to specific scales used etc. Most often my answer is "i don't know" because I just play what I hear based on a loose interpretation of the melody.

[@YakJimmy]

Such a simple idea I can't believe I overlooked it. Thanks!

[@engeomusic]

On the subject of playing scales musically - try some melodic patterns! Take the intervals of whatever scale you're practicing (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) and then make patterns out of them, and practice scales that way. ie 1231 2342 3453 etc or 7654 6543 5432 4321 etc, Ive found this to be a great way to practice scales and make them some much more musical, melodic and interesting. I believe Jerry practiced his scales this way as well.... but don't quote me on it. Whaddayasay Stich?

[@ewellone]

That playing four notes ascending thing is awesome and very relevant since its like a little mini mode practice kinda.

[@dgmg1578]

StichMethod Guitar

[@USorThemblog]

Great lesson for lead player lovers of Dark Star. What about us mere Weir wnnabes? I am 65 years old and have been mesmerized by Dark Star since LIVE DEAD issued in vinyl. There are lots ofYou Tube lessons on scales and Garcia style in DS. Can you please explain what Weir is doing and show us some his licks??

[@jroc2201]

This is true, it's the real deal

[@Theequalizeur]

Hi Ian, Thanks for this GREAT Live Stream! Please, would you make videos teaching how to play rock guitar (lead, soloing, phrasing, noodling, when to use bends, hammers, vibratos, slides, arpeggios, triads, modes, etc., how to create riffs and licks, etc. and also a part about rhythm and mixing rhythm and lead), mainly in the "BLUES ROCK" genre? When I write "blues rock" genre, I mean music in the style of Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Jimmy Page, Chuck Berry, Jerry Garcia, David Gilmour, Santana, maybe Brian May, Neal Schon, Blue Oyster Cult, Free, Styx, etc. Your videos are AWESOME! Thumb up!

[@brkfstchmp]

Great vid as always man, helps a lot! Would love to see a in the mind of Eddie Hazel- Maggot Brain, Dickie Betts- Blue Sky, or Duane Allman- Whipping Post.

[@Dizzydre21]

Hey man, there are a lot of good words and suggestions here. Thanks brother. Trust the scale/mode!

[@HHSTuba]

Dorian with a raised 7th is Melodic Minor

[@farmdogmusic2365]

thanks for your talent and your time

[@DougSloss]

Great lesson and sweet application in E!!!

[@dazberry]

Thought you were going to play "Benson Arizona" from the movie Dark Star 😅 - great lesson Ian thanks so much.

[@lorenzowynberg]

As usual fantastic video man thanks so much for all the great content :D

[@gilschaffer1184]

JM - Queen of California, If I Ever Get Around to Living

[@msgbball]

Your teaching method is really incredible, thank you. You asked for JM ideas/questions. Would it make sense to do a something like olivia based video? I've seen both solo acoustic as well as live jam with the band. Insight on the finer points of the playing would be great if thats something you are interested in addressing.

[@MoneyShotSolo]

well done as always!

[@AshgreenLimited]

Hi Ian, I've been tuning in from rural England and I wanted to say that you have taught me so much stuff that I can't thank you enough. However I just heard you say "Gravity is a cool song"! Do you want to reflect on that? :)

[@kerryc.7438]

That a7 loop is pretty groovy too

[@seanenglish3002]

I was hoping that you might be able to explain Oye como Va, only to find you already have a video on Oye Como Va. In it you mentioned that you have a video on Dark Star. Wholly Cow Dark Star! I am finding your videos by accident and continuous watching and re-watching. Is there a comprehensive list? Even if it is just titles? Not a criticism. I love your stuff. But I don't want to miss any.

[@God0Mighty1]

The eighties hell yeah there was some shit in the eighties; Talking Heads "Burning Down the House" one of my favorites. But the Dead also burned down the house in the late eighties and early nineties as well.

[@nickpappas6109]

One John Mayer (cover) I keep listening to is Aint No Sunshine @ Crossroads, not sure if it’s anything special that’s worth analyzing though

[@engeomusic]

i like your weird hand gestures

[@davidsmusicdiaries184]

Thank you for the lesson. Very useful tricks!

[@mostlycountryblues]

You are a great thinker and player! How about a video about the intersection of the mind and music theory: e.g. WHY our brains respond differently to major vs. minor etc. (Not how, e.g. flat 3 vs 3 but why) I often wonder if music theory is an external reality or our only exists in our brain. Similar to math which I know you reference often . . .

[@darrenschiminski7060]

What are your thoughts on using D melodic minor for the Dark Star (A to G) jam? I think the F natural is a little unsettling, but I think it creates more tension than using A mixolydian. Let me know what you think.

[@saml302]

can anyone explain the difference between the A mixolydian and the E dorian in terms of if the notes that comprise the scale are different? or are they the same scale notes with a different root, so one emphasizes A and the other E

[@kyleciarrocchi]

love phred!!

[@henry66699]

This guitar is later used by Jerry, but on what guitar was dark star originally recorded (Live/Dead) was it the Gibson SG Standard?

[@nimbuscloudus9262]

This videos awesome

[@mdbaus]

Sounds like the grateful dead

[@sambaskates]

circle of 5th's!

[@austinfitch2430]

John Mayer masters of melody suggestion - Belief

[@alexfwalker1007]

What kind of guitar is that?!

[@FauxZen69]

So, E dorian is hidden in B Aeolian correct?

[@FauxZen69]

You took the easy obvious way out rooting on the E string I figured it out rooted on the A string. PS I am the one that left you the message about writing a book. The book is finished and I would love to send you copy to check out. You helped inspire it and are mentioned in the pre-face along with Sean.

[@engeomusic]

I noticed your capo on the shelf there - I personally feel like capos are kind of cheating, when you could just transpose a song if you know what you're doing. Thoughts?

[@MrBlazerdude7]

James Bennett on an acoustic a capo can give a song a much different tone. Bob Dylan has many 4th fret and up capoed songs and they have a distinctive sound to them. Same with a few Beatles songs around Rubber Soul. Think “Girl”. You can’t get those sounds without a capo

[@gregoryswift9573]

What if theres open chords. For instance playing a B 7-9-9-8-0-0 sounds great its technically a B4 but if you want it in C youll be hard pressed to fing that sound with any other C4 around the neck unless you throw the capo on 1.